The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2015, and October 31, 2016 (see FAQ for exceptions), are automatically nominated for the 2016 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on November 3, 2016, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

One man’s dedicated mission to rescue death-row dogs across the
country.

Freelance journalist Zheutlin began saving dogs after finally
giving in, in his late 50s, to adopting a yellow Lab for his family, a pet with
whom to “grow old together.” This decision spurred interest in the global
rescue dog movement, bringing him face to face with seasoned veteran puppy
savior Greg Mahle, whose “Rescue Road Trips” organization transports dogs via
trailer from barbaric kill shelters in the rural South (an area particularly
indifferent to spaying and neutering animals) to points north. Early on, he
even accepted stray “throwaways” right from roadways and dumpsters. In 2014,
Mahle’s efforts garnered national attention on the Today Show,
which exploded his group’s popularity. Energized to participate, Zheutlin began
shadowing Mahle, gaining insight into his motivations and how he began the
revelatory rescue work after the last of his family’s five restaurants closed
in 2005. The biography paints him as a traditional man, married to longtime
companion Adella, a stepdad to her son, Connor, and still driving the same old
white panel van used in his very first rescue transport missions. The author
accompanied Mahle on three of his fee-based rescue missions inside the
gargantuan, kennel-filled tractor trailer typically filled with upward of 80
dogs collected and diligently transported to “forever homes” with adoptive families
in the Northeast. The exhaustive gathering process and continuous care of the
dogs and the tender, unavoidable human-animal bonding experience that transpired
ground the book with heart and immense compassion. Written with straightforward
clarity, much of the book’s spirit is generated from chronicling Mahle’s
honorable and humanitarian work with severely at-risk animals and the emotional
investment of the movement’s many contributors. Zheutlin’s closing chapter
offers useful advice to readers eager to adopt their own rescued pet.

An unabashedly sentimental and affecting portrait of a
modern-day animal-loving hero.

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